let it be me
by Frogster
Summary: Hermione just wants to have a relatively normal eighth year. However, she quickly finds that her life will never be normal. First, Draco Malfoy apologizes to her and a fast, firm friendship grows between them. Then the Wizarding world is rocked by an ancient marriage law. Will Hermione stubbornly cling to her life's plans or will she let Draco be what she needs? DHr, Mild M.
1. chapter one

**Notes: I'm back! So excited to finally get to post this. I've been working on it for months. I have five chapters already written, have decided what I want to do for the sixth chapter, and have most of the rest of the plot figured out. Thanks to my great team of first readers-ElleMalfoy65, slytherinmomma88, slytherinvillain, and Iloveplotbunnies/sirenofodysseus. You four are the greatest. Thanks for your insight and encouragement.  
**

 **I'm hoping to post one chapter a week, although the day may vary.**

 **Rated M for later chapters, but just to be on the safe side.**

 **Disclaimer: I own the books, the movies, and the cutest Hermione and Draco figurines, but I don't own the entire wizarding world.**

If you had told Hermione Granger five years ago that she would be friends with Draco Malfoy, she would have laughed in your face. Befriending Malfoy (at least then) seemed as likely as Hagrid ever realizing that his favorite creatures were, in fact, extremely dangerous or Voldemort giving up his quest for power and domination.

But life has its own way of laughing back.

X.X

Amid the chaos that characterized the first few months following Voldemort's defeat, a couple of things completely shocked the Wizarding World.

First, both Harry Potter and Hermione Granger had testified at Draco Malfoy's trial—in defense of their former classmate and nemesis.

Harry had previously testified in defense of Narcissa Malfoy, citing her lie to Voldemort as the reason he had not been killed out in that field. Hermione joined him at the Wizengamot for Draco's trial, both of them relating how Draco had not given their identities away at the Manor, even though doing so would most likely have bolstered his standing with the Death Eaters and Voldemort.

For Hermione's part, her willingness to take the stand on the side of the defense was born from her memories of sixth year. When Harry had become so focused on figuring out what Draco was up to during that year, Hermione had begun to watch him too, though not as constantly—she wanted to be able to give a more objective view of the situation if required. Harry may have been her dearest friend, but he was prone to wearing blinders when he became convinced of something. She didn't know whether her observations might be able to convince Harry to scale back his quest, but she had watched anyway.

That year, for the first time, she saw Draco as something other than a mostly one-dimensional bully and bigot. She saw a complex human being who was obviously cracking under the strain of whatever events were consuming his time and thoughts. Whatever was going on, it was eating him alive. He obviously had a conscience, of sorts, and anything that could make the normally composed and arrogant Draco Malfoy break was not something to be taken lightly.

Thus, Hermione had corroborated Harry's story of what had happened at the Manor that horrible day and the role that Draco had played in it.

Secondly, both Narcissa and Draco had scraped by with reduced sentences. Narcissa was placed under house arrest for a year and a half, but was permitted the occasional visitor, provided that person was cleared for admittance by the Minister of Magic's office. She would then serve another year and a half of probation.

Hermione and Harry's testimony had seemed to help Draco's case. He would have to redo his final year of Hogwarts—something Hermione had heard him tell his mother that he had already planned on doing—and then serve the Ministry of Magic in some sort of capacity for at least five years after graduation.

Draco was much subdued at his trial, and Hermione could tell he wasn't just playing it up to try and get a lesser sentence. He still had a touch of his old arrogance, and he was still very much a Slytherin, but the war had definitely changed him. That didn't mean that Hermione was willing to befriend him, however. She did make up her mind to be civil to him when they crossed paths at Hogwarts—since they were the top two students in their year, they were sure to take many of the same classes.

X.X

To her delight—and no one's surprise—Hermione had been named Head Girl. To everyone's surprise—and Hermione's trepidation—the letter welcoming her back to Hogwarts and announcing her appointment to the coveted position had also informed her of the Head Boy's identity.

Draco Malfoy.

To say that his appointment was a complete shock would have been an understatement. Harry and Ron were both returning—they had wanted to jump right into Auror training, but apparently even the Boy Who Lived Twice and his best friend were required to take their N.E.W.T.s. The Aurors had promised them both a spot in the training camp after graduation, so the two young men were biding their time, it seemed, until they could leave school for good and pursue what was left of the Death Eaters.

Hermione didn't think that Harry would have accepted the position of Head Boy if asked, however; he had said multiple times that he just wanted one year where he didn't have to worry about protecting or being responsible for others. And Ron—well, she loved him, she really did, but he didn't have the sense of responsibility required of the head students. Plus, he would most likely turn the Head's common room into an outpost for Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, and no one wanted that. Well, no one with a sense of decency and order, anyway.

However, in place of Harry and Ron, certainly there were other boys—men, now—who would have been selected before Malfoy? Neville, perhaps? Aside from Gryffindors, surely Terry Boot would have made the list. If a Slytherin was really what the administration wanted, surely Zabini or Nott were preferable to Malfoy.

She might believe he had changed, but the past was still raw.

X.X

She considered writing a letter to McGonagall about Malfoy being named Head Boy, but eventually decided against it. She couldn't think of a diplomatic way to question the new Headmistress' decision, at least not via owl.

September first came quickly, though. At the opening feast after the Sorting, Headmistress McGonagall had announced the Heads. In keeping with the theme of unity, one head student from each house—two from the "eighth year" and two from the seventh—had been chosen. Luna represented Ravenclaw, and her seventh year counterpart was Hufflepuff Rolf Scamander, grandson of _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ author Newt Scamander. When the eighth year Heads were announced, there were cheers for Hermione, especially among the Gryffindors, and shocked silence for Malfoy.

McGonagall took it upon herself to answer the unspoken question. "I am sure most of you are wondering about the appointments made this year," she said. "Suffice it to say that Dumbledore—his portrait, anyway—petitioned specifically for Mr. Malfoy to be appointed Head Boy. It was his hope that through the appointment of two of Hogwarts' most well-known students, the rest would come to unity through their guidance.

"It may seem that Mr. Malfoy is an…unorthodox appointment," she continued, "but he has been cleared to return to Hogwarts. It is my hope, and the hope of all the teachers here, that this year be a fresh start for _all_ of us. The time for war has passed; now is a time for peace."

That just made everyone think more, if the whispered conversations going on around Hermione and around the Great Hall were any indication. Ginny tried to catch Hermione's eye, but she didn't want to talk about it until she had talked with McGonagall.

At the end of the feast, McGonagall called for Hermione and Malfoy to come to her office. "I'm sure the two of you have even more questions about your appointments," McGonagall said after they had all set down.

Hermione snuck a look at Malfoy to see how he would react. He looked to be in better shape than the young man who had been wasting away their sixth year. He had gained back the weight he had lost, and his skin didn't have a deathly cast to it. However, from what she could see, his eyes looked haunted.

She could tell because hers looked much the same.

He broke the silence then. "Well, it's obvious why Granger was chosen," he said, a bit of his old snark sneaking back into his baritone. "War hero and the brightest witch of the age—I'm sure no one else was even considered."

To Hermione's surprise, Malfoy didn't seem to be mocking her at all—he seemed to be simply stating a fact.

"We are very glad that Miss Granger is able to serve as Head Girl," McGonagall replied diplomatically.

"Even if it's obvious why I was chosen, that still doesn't explain Malfoy," began Hermione. "Is there some kind of…underlying motive behind his being Head Boy?" There, she thought that sounded diplomatic enough.

McGonagall sighed. "The events of the last two years have changed us all. As I said in my speech earlier, I want this to be a year where all the houses come together. I know it will be nigh impossible for everyone to become friends, especially those among the older students. However, I do expect civility from everyone. I would rather certain students never converse if it means they aren't attacking each other."

Hermione looked at Malfoy out of the corner of her eye; surprisingly, he was looking back.

"I don't mean the two of you," McGonagall clarified. "The two of you should at least attempt civility. As Heads you will have to work together quite often."

"I was already planning on being civil to Malfoy," Hermione said. She saw Malfoy's head swivel to face her, but she kept her focus on McGonagall. "I am tired of fighting, tired of war. I will make every attempt to be civil, whether he does or not."

"Same for me," Malfoy said simply.

"I would just like to have a normal year at Hogwarts for once," Hermione continued.

"Granger, I don't even know what a "normal" year here would be," Malfoy commented in his customary drawl. "Normal for us was filled with more events each year than most people encounter in a lifetime."

"I don't know what a normal year would be either, honestly," admitted Hermione. "I just meant that it would be nice to have a year where the biggest problem is studying for N.E.W.T.s."

Hermione heard a faint snort come from Malfoy's direction, but when she turned to ask what was so funny, he was simply nodding his head.

"You didn't answer Granger's question about why I'm Head Boy," stated Malfoy. "And frankly, I'd like to know the answer to that myself."

McGonagall sighed again. "As I said, this year is all about unity. That means that all the houses need to be on the same side as much as possible—or at the very least leave the rivalries to the Quidditch pitch and the House Cup. That includes Slytherin House, Mr. Malfoy.

"I think it is safe to say that you would have the most influence over your fellow housemates, Mr. Malfoy."

"Do I still?" he asked. "My parents and I—we defected to the Light. There could be some students here who will…hold that against me. I don't think they would follow my direction. They certainly wouldn't follow Granger's."

"Only a handful of Slytherins from your year returned. I understand your concern, Mr. Malfoy, and it may be that some of the fifth, sixth, and seventh years feel this way. If that is the case, as Head Boy you will be living apart from the rest of Slytherin House, although of course you are welcome to visit your friends if you wish."

"So what you're trying to say is that I'm in a position to lead the Slytherins, and even if some do not wish to follow my lead, me being Head Boy offers me some sort of protection?"

"Precisely."

"Am I correct in thinking that you're trying to protect me in other ways?"

"Mr. Malfoy, you and your parents were very high profile before the war. It is safe to say that you will continue to be so—maybe even more—now that the war has ended."

"So that's a yes."

Hermione listened intently, the implications swirling around in her mind. Malfoy's appointment as Head Boy had been a calculated decision to try and promote unity between all the houses; the Slytherins would more than likely follow his lead if he was seen being friendly or at least civil to the other houses, especially Gryffindor. As Head Boy, he would have privileges—or protections—that the other students didn't. In Hogwarts, at least, he would be concealed, at least somewhat, from those who would do him harm. Hermione was sure, however, that some of the teachers would also use this year to watch him and make sure that he wasn't going to defect again.

McGonagall's voice broke through Hermione's reverie. "Remember what I said during my opening speech: Dumbledore specifically stated that you were to be given the position."

Malfoy— _Draco_ ; if she was going to be civil, she might as well get used to referring to him by his first name, at least in her mind—looked dumbfounded. "You weren't just saying that to appease everyone?"

McGonagall and Hermione both looked shocked at the accusation. "Absolutely not."

"I don't deserve it," he mumbled, growing pale and taut. Hermione knew he was remembering the awful events of their sixth year.

"Dumbledore, however, did. He, at least, saw something in you that many others did not. What that was, I do not know. He did, however, believe you deserved a chance to redeem yourself."

"And what better place to do that than at Hogwarts?" Hermione interjected, shocking herself as well as the other occupants of the Headmistress' office.

"Exactly, Miss Granger. So, will the two of you accept the position? It will be a hard one during this time of rebuilding, but I hope that by the end of the year, we will at least have begun to implement change here."

"Of course," Hermione answered promptly, wondering how McGonagall had ever thought that they would refuse the posts. Well, Malfoy—Draco—might, but she wouldn't.

"I never said I wouldn't," the Head Boy stated.

"Very good. We can meet again—say the second day of classes—to make decisions about the upcoming year. I just wanted to speak to the two of you to clear up any questions you might have had. If you have no more questions, you are dismissed."

Neither Hermione nor Draco had anything else to ask, so they both rose. "Granger," Malfoy said as they were going out the door. "Just because we're going to be civil and not be at war doesn't mean that there can't be skirmishes of wit, now does it?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow, wondering what he was getting at. "Depends on who is doing the skirmishing," she said cautiously.

"The two of us, of course. You're the only real intellectual competition here."

Shocked that Malfoy seemed to be paying her a compliment, Hermione replied, "I suppose…"

"I look forward to debating with you, Granger," he said, smirking.

X.X

They didn't speak for the rest of the night, except to confirm that the password to their eighth year Heads' dorm would remain "unity". The next morning was the last day before classes began, and Hermione rose early to have another look around their dorm. The night before she had been too entranced by the wall of bookshelves in the main room to really pay attention to the rest of the area, except for registering the presence of a massive couch and an equally huge fireplace. The bookshelves were filled nearly to capacity, and Hermione looked forward to reading as many books as she could over the course of the coming year.

The Heads were also supplied a small kitchenette in case they didn't want to go to the Great Hall for meals, so Hermione decided to whip herself up some breakfast. She was just finishing cooking some oatmeal when Draco entered. She felt a little silly for not having enough to offer him, but he declined, choosing a large apple from the bowl on the counter instead. He began to walk toward the sitting area, then turned around as Hermione was settling on a barstool to eat her breakfast.

"I never thanked you for testifying on my behalf at my trial…so thank you," he said quietly. "You didn't have to do that—I wouldn't have, if I was in your position."

She hardly knew what to say to that, so she just said, "You're welcome, Malfoy."

He nodded and turned to leave again, but just as suddenly turned back. "Granger…I apologize for my actions and the things I said over the years. They were completely reprehensible and unfounded. I was an ignorant prick, though that's not really an excuse. You've….you've more than proved that you belong in the Wizarding World.

"I also apologize for what happened…on that day in the Manor. You didn't deserve that. No one deserves that kind of treatment." She thought she heard him mumble _least of all you_ , but she couldn't be sure.

Her shock must have shown on her face, for he then said, "Look, I'm not going to go voluntarily party with Muggles or something. I just think they should be allowed to live their sadly magic-free lives in peace, and we should have the same."

She didn't know whether "we" meant purebloods or all wizardkind. He didn't elaborate, and she didn't ask.

"I'm tired of war," he continued. "I grew tired of it long before it was actually over. I remember thinking that Potter needed to just kill You-Know-Who already so he would get out of my bloody house and leave my family alone."

"I'm tired of it too," she reiterated. "We lost so much, so many good people. I had to Obliviate my parents and send them across the world for their safety, for Merlin's sake. They don't even remember me," she mumbled. She wasn't sure why she had told him about her parents, but thought it had something to do with the fact that he was opening up to her.

He started. "I didn't know that," he said, looking thoughtful. "I'm sorry, Granger."

She knew he was talking about more than her parents. "Thank you," she said. "I…I accept your apology, Malfoy."

"You do?" he asked. She saw surprise flash across his normally stoic face as his shoulders relaxed. "Thank you, Granger. I don't deserve it, but thank you anyway."

"This doesn't mean you're entirely forgiven," she said. "You need to prove it—prove that you've changed."

He nodded and left, leaving Hermione to her breakfast and thoughts.

X.X

That conversation ended up being the catalyst for their friendship. They were edgy friends—they still bantered, argued, and debated constantly. They debated over inane things like which dessert was better as well as things like literature and which spell was the most useful. A few weeks into the new term, Hermione had dumped a stack of Muggle literature on him one day, and to her surprise, he read her selections without complaint—but not without a barrage of questions and comments. He, in turn, brought her some Wizarding fiction, which led to heated debates about the merits and flaws of both Wizarding and Muggle literature.

As part of the new emphasis on unity, the seventh and eighth years had their own table in the Great Hall. The reasoning was twofold. Having the eldest students sit together regardless of house at every meal would force them to work on being civil and would also set a good example for the younger students, who were encouraged to sit with friends of various houses for at least three meals every week.

Hermione wondered whether the professors considered this decision a mistake, as she and Draco never failed to come up with something to argue about. She knew their barbs were no longer malicious; they simply enjoyed trying to outdo one another with words and ideas. It was invigorating, she admitted to herself, having someone who was pretty much on par with her intellectually, who could follow all the twists and turns of her thought processes as she defended her position fervently and could do the same in return. Plus, sometimes she couldn't help but want to slap that silly smirk off his face. He seemed to find her zeal amusing, and she knew that he wouldn't even bother to answer one of his friends while engaged in an argument with her. She had his full attention, and it was a little unnerving at times.

For the first few weeks, Ginny would try to engage her in conversation to draw her away from trying to prove Draco wrong, but about two months in, the youngest Weasley finally gave up. Ron always grew a little red-faced when Hermione and Draco started in on each other, and Harry always looked like he was sucking on a lemon when faced with the two Heads' arguments. Eventually, everyone just silently agreed to tune the eighth year Heads out when they started bickering. Hermione only barely acknowledged this silent agreement; she was too focused on coming up with her own arguments and counterarguments, trying to predict Draco's stance. It was like a game of mental chess. She did, however, remember hearing Neville muttering to himself something about the two of them and Devil's Snare…

X.X

If Hermione and Draco bickered almost constantly during the day, then the nights were much different. Both of them, it seemed, suffered from nightmares. At least twice a week Hermione found herself waking up, covered in sweat and breathing hard, reliving some of the darkest events of the war—or surmising subconsciously what might have happened if, for instance, Dobby hadn't come to their rescue at Malfoy Manor. She would silently creep down to the Heads' common room, unable to go back to sleep, and more often than not, Draco was already there, woken up by his own horrific memories. If he wasn't there when she arrived, he showed up a few minutes afterward, and they would sit on opposite ends of the couch and wait for the sun to come up.

The first few nights, they just sat in silence; it was obvious why they were both up in the middle of the night. However, after about the second week, they started talking. First just about schoolwork, but then about other things—mostly anecdotes from their childhoods, sometimes a brief comment on their families. Within a couple of months, Hermione had learned more about Draco than she had learned in the previous six years. It didn't take much longer for her to forgive him for his actions (or inaction) before and during the war. His remorse was acute. No one was that good of an actor, she reasoned. He might tease her about some of her childhood anecdotes, especially some of her first brushes with accidental magic, but he never mentioned her blood status. He hadn't for years, she realized.

One night, Hermione brought up an idea that she had been tossing around for a few days; as her fellow Head, Draco was the first to hear about it.

"I've been thinking," she began tentatively, not knowing how to breach the subject.

She heard an amused snort come from the other end of the couch. "And that's different from any other day _how_?" he teased.

She huffed. "This year is supposed to be about unity, about breaching the divides between houses and classes that were so entrenched before and during the war."

She looked up to see him nodding and turning to face her. She mirrored his movement, snuggling into the corner of the huge couch and pulling a blanket over her legs.

"I just wondered…whether it would be prudent to hold another Yule Ball. The Ministry, I'm sure, is going to want to hold some kind of celebration for the first anniversary of the end of the war. I just think we need something to distract us from all the sadness and pain. Yule and Christmas are times to celebrate—times to celebrate family, friends, good food, and light coming back into the world. And maybe it will help us come together as one. We've all lost someone, whether it was a family member, a friend, a professor, or even simply a classmate. We need to realize that what unites us is much more than what divides us—what has divided us for so long and brought us to war."

He cocked his head, thinking. "It's a good idea, provided you plan it correctly."

"Correctly?"

He nodded. "Some people might put all the focus on all those who fought for the Light. Not you, Granger," he quickly clarified, seeing her glare. "Others, though, who are less…forgiving, I suppose, wouldn't even stop to remember that those on the other side lost people too. It's not that the contributions or sacrifices of the people on the Light side aren't meaningful, maybe even…well, more important, I guess, in some ways. But those on the Dark side—even those who defected—lost family members, friends."

"That's exactly what I'm saying. We are united in loss, in our magic, in the opportunity to move forward. Or at least we should be."

"Were you wanting to get most of the school involved, or just the Prefects?"

"You mean involved in the planning? I think it would be a good idea to get as much input as possible. I don't think we'll invite first or second years to the ball, but they could have a feast or something to take its place."

"Will you invite everyone back who…participated in the war?"

"I would like to. It could be a chance for those who fought to see that Hogwarts has been repaired, that the castle is buzzing with activity, learning, and new friendships. It would also give everyone a chance to see those they haven't kept in touch with as well as they probably should have. It can serve as a reminder that we are looking towards a future where blood status doesn't matter. I'm sure that not everyone who fought will want to come, but for those who do want to attend, I don't see why they shouldn't."

"Do you think they would allow my mother to come?" Draco asked softly after a few minutes of silence.

Hermione felt herself soften at his question. "I'm sure Harry would put in a good word—I know he credits her lie as a big reason why he's still alive today."

Draco nodded again. "Thank you," he said quietly. Then, with a smirk returning to his face, he tried to lighten the mood. "I'll get Blaise and Theo to help plan. Blaise's mother used to throw parties all the time. Can't let you Gryffindors throw red and gold all over the place and call it a party. Plus, Granger, I'm sure you'd try to hide all the Firewhiskey, and then where would we be?"

She huffed. "I'm not sure a bunch of sloshed wizards and witches is a good idea, Malfoy, especially when a lot of them don't like each other."

He just waved her off. "I wonder, if we slipped some Firewhiskey to Filch, whether he'd get so drunk he couldn't patrol. And can you imagine a tipsy McGonagall?"

The thought of an inebriated Professor McGonagall was just too much, and Hermione started to laugh, the last bit of the terror from her nightmare washing away. She saw Draco grin slightly, apparently pleased he'd gotten her to laugh, and laughed even more. Who would have thought she would be sitting with Draco Malfoy in the middle of the night, laughing as she hadn't laughed in years?

X.X

The months flew by, and all too soon it was time for the Yule Ball. Nearly everyone from sixth year and above had offered their help or input into putting the event together, which Hermione was all too thankful for. There was so much to do that she felt she was being stretched at the seams.

It seemed that studying for N.E.W.T.s and recovering from the aftermath of the war was enough to draw at least the eighth years in a way that would have been unheard of during their previous years of school. There were still some people who didn't get along, and would probably never get along, but for the most part, cross-House friendships had become the norm for the oldest Hogwarts students.

Draco had drawn his two best friends, Blaise Zabini and Theo Nott, into Hermione's group of friends, saying that the Gryffindor bunch needed a Slytherin influence. Hermione had countered that maybe the Gryffindors would instead influence the Slytherins, which had sparked yet another debate. Hermione liked Blaise and Theo, however; they told funny stories about Draco's childhood and made a good addition to their study group—when they could be prevailed upon to study, that is. They were no Harry and Ron—no one could replace her boys—but she liked them all the same. Harry and Ron, for their part, got along with the Slytherins better than she thought they would—they had bonded over a love of Quidditch and making fun of Draco. She even got along with Theo's girlfriend, Daphne Greengrass, fairly well, but Pansy Parkinson, Blaise's on-again, off-again girlfriend, was a different story. Hermione could never quite forget that Pansy had wanted to turn Harry over to Voldemort.

The eighth year thus settled into a routine of studying, Head duties, arguing with Draco, trips to Hogsmeade, and researching ways to break the memory charm on her parents. She was exhausted much of the time, but she would rather take this kind of exhaustion over battle and war weariness any day.

 **Hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Please leave a review and tell me what you thought!**


	2. chapter two

**Here's the next installment! This one is all about the Yule Ball. The marriage law will come into play in the next chapter.**

 **Hope you enjoy, and please review!**

 **Forgot to add this in chapter one: This song is partially based on the song "Don't Close Your Eyes" by Keith Whitley.**

 **Disclaimer: Still don't own.**

let it be me

chapter two

It was about an hour before the Yule Ball began, and Harry and Ron were due to come up to the Heads' common room at any moment to pick up Ginny and Hermione. Hermione, Ginny, and Luna had spent the last couple of hours getting ready for the big event. Most everyone from the Gryffindor-Slytherin bunch, it seemed, would be meeting in the eighth year Heads' dorm to head down to the rebuilt Great Hall. Luna would be attending with Neville, and Blaise and Theo had promised to show up with their dates in time to go down as a group.

Hermione had been surprised that Draco did not have a date for the ball. When she asked him about it, all he would say was that the only girl he had wanted to take already had a date. Hermione had jokingly suggested that he take his mother as his date. Harry and Hermione had both petitioned for Narcissa Malfoy's house arrest to be relaxed for this one night. The Ministry had initially agreed to a reprieve of about seven hours, long enough for mother and son to have time to talk before the main event started, as she would have to leave at midnight. Hermione had convinced the Ministry to allow Mrs. Malfoy to spend twelve hours at Hogwarts, from noon until midnight.

After Ginny had finished coaxing Hermione's hair into a French twist with soft ringlets curling about her face and Luna had donned a complete set of radish jewelry, the three girls descended the stairs. Harry and Ron had arrived a few minutes before, and so were waiting at the bottom of the stairs along with Neville.

Hermione was the last one to descend and so had the perfect view of Harry's eyes boggling at the sight of Ginny in her royal purple dress. She caught a glimpse of Neville taking Luna's arm before turning to her own date.

Ron at first looked like a gaping fish upon catching sight of Hermione, who was wearing a one-shouldered, floor-length bright red dress, its slim lines clinging to her slight curves. He broke out into a goofy, silly grin, and she returned the smile, walking towards her boyfriend. "You look beautiful, 'Mione," he said, taking her hand. She thanked him and returned the compliment—he had managed to find a set of robes that were actually from the twentieth century. Just then, she caught sight of Draco looking at her over Ron's shoulder.

His eyes were wide and intent upon her and looked to be swirling with some sort of repressed emotion. When he saw she was looking at him, one corner of his mouth lifted up in a soft smile and he nodded his head before turning to his mother, who was at his side.

Hermione laughed as the group chatted, but she couldn't shake the feeling that a pair of quicksilver eyes were following her.

X.X

Luckily, the introductory remarks and dinner went by quickly. Hermione mused that at the beginning of the year, a table setting with places for Harry, Ron, and Draco would have been simply asking for trouble, but nearly four months into the school year, the three wizards seemed to be getting along admirably well for young men who had antagonized each other for six years.

Draco had introduced her to his mother, which had slightly intimidated Hermione at first, but Mrs. Malfoy had been polite and apologetic. They exchanged a few words, but Narcissa seemed to be content to simply talk with her son and observe the festivities.

And then, it was time to dance. The Golden Trio were asked to lead the dancing, so Ron held his hand out to Hermione and Harry to Ginny. At some point, Hermione and Draco would have to dance together, since they were Heads, but Hermione didn't mind. She now counted Draco as one of her closest friends, and at least she knew he wouldn't step on her toes like Ron might.

Dancing with Ron felt familiar and comfortable, but something was off. Hermione could see Harry and Ginny locked in an embrace on the dance floor, entwined as much as was socially acceptable and staring into each other's eyes. She didn't begrudge them their love—they had certainly earned it after everything that had happened—but she couldn't help but wonder why Ron wasn't looking into her eyes—or she into his.

The first song over, Harry claimed Hermione for a dance. Ron didn't want to dance with his sister, so he made his way over to the dessert table. Hermione knew that would keep him occupied for a little while, and so after her dance with Harry was over, she made her way to George, who was standing in the corner next to Angelina. She had seen them briefly on the floor during the first dance, but apparently dancing was a bit too much for the master prankster who had lost his partner in crime. As she drew closer, she could see the deep lines that had slowly started to etch themselves on his previously jovial face. Hermione's heart went out to the young man who she regarded as an elder brother, and so she went to check on him. After much cajoling from both her and Angelina, she convinced him to dance with her. Convincing him had taken so much time, however, that the song was over halfway through once they reached the floor. George had thanked her for the dance and then left, but not before raising an eyebrow at whoever was approaching from behind Hermione.

She turned around and saw Draco walking up to her. "Two Weasels, Granger?" he said by way of greeting, holding out a long pale hand to her.

She took it, and he wrapped his other arm around her waist. "This is a very hard night for George—for all the Weasleys, but George especially," she explained as the dance began. "It's the first big gathering since the war, and so the absence of so many is felt more acutely, although I don't know whether George ever has any respite from his grief. I just thought that I might be able to help."

"Typical Granger," he drawled. "Always trying to do good for people, but doing it in the bossiest way imaginable." His tone was teasing, but tinted with affection.

She huffed as they continued to twirl. "I seem to be sticking with the family _Mustelidae_ tonight." When he raised an eyebrow in confusion, she continued. "Well, I danced with two Weasels, and now I'm dancing with a ferret."

He scowled at her, and she couldn't help but laugh. She saw the corner of his mouth twitch and knew he was fighting a smile of his own.

"I just hope that someone doesn't try and hex me for this. We don't need to start a third Wizarding War," he half-joked.

"That wouldn't happen. We're in public and we're supposed to be remembering why we shouldn't fight another war amongst ourselves in the first place," she affirmed. "Besides, I wouldn't let anyone raise their wand against you," she added.

"Ah, do-gooder Granger hypothetically striking again?"

"Not totally," she said, slightly frowning at his ribbing her for her desire for harmony and rule-abiding (in most cases, when saving the world wasn't involved). "We don't need another war, true, but you're also my friend."

He smiled at that.

"You do look gorgeous tonight, Granger," he muttered softly. She inhaled sharply and looked up to meet swirling silver eyes. She was intensely aware of his arm around her waist and his hand in hers. For some reason, his touch seemed to affect her differently than Harry's or Ron's. Draco's hold had none of the brotherly qualities that Harry's had, or even the affectionate familiarity of Ron's. On the contrary, Draco's hold was strong yet gentle, holding her close, leading her expertly. She thought the strangeness of his hold must be due to the fact that she was in the arms of her former sworn enemy and childhood bully turned friend.

The song ended, and Draco bowed low over her hand. "I expect another dance, Granger," he said softly. She nodded and smiled in return, and the corner of his mouth twitched again before he turned to leave.

Hermione danced with Harry and then Ron again. She was nursing a glass of punch after dancing with Neville when Draco found her again. He asked if she'd been claimed for the dance, and when she shook her head no, swallowing the last of her punch in a big gulp, he asked if he could have the honor. In answer, she took his hand and led him back to the floor.

They assumed their former stance, Draco pulling Hermione as close as he had earlier. With one hand on his black-clad shoulder, she could rise up on her tiptoes and just see the various dancing couples and groups of witches and wizards talking. She spotted Ron with Angelina and George and Harry and Ginny talking with Luna and Neville.

Seeing her closest friends (and being wrapped in the arms of another) brought flashes of other faces to Hermione's mind's eye. So many good people had been lost, so many people with years yet to live ahead of them. _Remus. Tonks. Fred. Sirius._ Even Snape _._ Others like them. Others she hadn't known, others she had. All killed while fighting for the preservation of the Wizarding World.

 _Those countless witches and wizards should have been here,_ she thought. _They should be celebrating with us, not mourning or being mourned._

Then, of course, there were those who might not have been able to attend a Wizarding function, but had been lost all the same…

She was brought out of her reverie by a cool hand resting on the back of her neck, a pale thumb gently moving across her cheek.

"Granger? Granger, why are you crying?" The pale thumb swiped against her cheek again as she looked up into concerned gray eyes, the contours of Draco's face slightly softening when she looked at him.

She sniffed and took a shuddering breath as Draco's hand moved to clasp her bare shoulder. "Granger?" he asked again. "Please don't cry. Potter and Weasel will think I've done something to hurt you and, even though we're getting along better, I wouldn't put it past them not to attack me if they thought I'd hurt you. I would rather not be blasted to smithereens or be hexed by the Weaselette."

She gave a watery chuckle. "What is it, Granger?" he pressed gently, his thumb absentmindedly tracing circles over her shoulder.

She sighed. "I'm sorry," she began, clutching his black-clad shoulder as a sort of anchor while she spoke. "I'm so glad to be alive, to have survived the war, so glad that most of my friends survived as well. I'm glad that this year has gone so well so far, that we've become friends—" here she saw him smile softly—"that the Wizarding world is on its way to repairing itself, that so many witches and wizards survived, that Voldemort is _gone_ ," she continued, spitting out the last phrase.

"But I look around tonight, and I can't help but think of all the people who should still be here, people who fought and died so that we could be here, celebrating. They should still be _alive_ ," she said, her voice breaking, and Draco's arm drew her closer. "Remus and Tonks should be here to see Teddy grow up, they should be thinking about having another baby. Fred should be at the joke shop with George, coming up with new ways to prank everyone. Sirius—Harry didn't get to spend nearly enough time with him. Even Snape deserved to have more time, even if it was just so everyone could thank him for spying for the Order for so long."

She looked at Draco when she mentioned his godfather, and saw her friend's eyes spark with pain, his mouth setting in a grim line. She had told him about Snape's involvement with the Order, and that had seemed to help some, but she knew the young man holding her still missed the man he had considered an uncle of sorts.

He caught her looking at him, and his eyes softened again. "Too many people were lost, I agree," he said. "I didn't know the people you named as well as you did, except for Snape. I do remember meeting my cousin briefly as a child," he said. "I do know that Tonks' death hurts my mother, because she was her sister's child, and I think my mother blames herself for what happened. I think she'll try to reach out to my Aunt Andromeda now, however. Family has always been important, and it is now more so than ever."

"I think Andromeda will appreciate that. She needs as many people to gather around her as possible."

He nodded. "Professor Lupin—looking back, I think he was the best Defense teacher we had, at least in the early years. He actually taught us," he clarified upon seeing Hermione's shocked face. "The twin—Fred—I never would have admitted this, and don't you go saying anything, but I actually had some respect for him and George, mostly because they got rid of Umbridge. That woman was a menace and a blight on the school, and I was so glad when they ran her out. They would probably have made it in Slytherin."

"But you…you were on the Inquisitorial Squad!"

"Yes, but it was mostly a status thing. By the end, I think we all hated Umbridge, at least secretly, as much as anyone else did. She probably would have come after us, too, in the end."

"I didn't know Sirius, but I know we were somehow related on my mother's side. Snape…I'd rather not talk about Snape," he said, the pain coming back into his face. Hermione rubbed his shoulder, just like he had done for her, and the corners of his mouth twitched for a second. "You're right, they shouldn't have died. But things could have been a lot worse."

She let that sink in. Things definitely could have been a lot worse. Harry could have died, Voldemort could have won…she snapped out of her depressing train of thought upon realizing what Draco had said.

"Did you just say I was right?" she asked, giving him a Malfoy-esque smirk.

He chuckled. "Don't get used to it, Granger, but yes."

She smiled, then sobered. "I was also thinking about people who didn't die, but are still lost…"

His thumb moved to her cheek again, and she realized that she had started crying silently. "You're thinking about your parents," he stated. She nodded.

"Hermione Granger, you are the smartest witch of your age—of any age, really," he said emphatically. "If anyone could find a spell to reverse a memory charm, it would be you.

"And you know, you don't have to do this all alone," he said softly. "You know that you have friends surrounding you who would be glad to help."

"I know," she said. "Thank you, Draco, for everything you've done in nearly four months—you've been such a help. You've pulled equal weight with your Head duties, you apologized for everything, and you've even helped me find books to research ways to help my parents and even looked through them with me." She chuckled. "I never thought I would be saying this, but I'm glad we became friends, Draco."

"So am I, Granger. I didn't mind helping. Still don't. Don't mention it, Granger. No, really, don't mention it. I still have a reputation to keep up, mind you."

She laughed, and she could tell he was pleased that he got her to laugh. "Oh, Draco, we both know that you have a kind heart underneath that cold exterior, you just have to look hard for it."

"Only for you, Granger," he muttered so low she almost didn't hear him.

She was surprised, but didn't mention it, as another worry came to the front of her mind. "If—when—I find my parents again, what if they get angry with me and don't want to have anything to do with me? After all I did to keep them safe, I couldn't bear it if they were too angry to rebuild our relationship." She felt the tears start to fall again.

"Granger," Draco said. " _Hermione._ "

She looked up at him then. He rarely called her by her first name, even now that they were close friends.

"Don't cry," he entreated. "If you keep crying, you're going to wash us all away.

"Seriously, though, Granger," he continued. "I suppose I need to be honest with you. I do think your parents might be angry with you at first," he said, squeezing her hand when she looked dejected at his words. "However, they would be fools to continue to be angry after you explain to them why you Obliviated them. That was a terribly brave thing you did, you stubborn Gryffindor. I only wish I could have protected my family as well as you did," he said softly.

She squeezed his hand back. "Thank you, Draco. And I think you did what you could, considering the circumstances."

He hung his head a little, but she gently forced his face back up with a soft hand on his cheek. He leaned into her touch slightly and opened his eyes. She drew her hand back.

"Remember earlier, when I said that I wouldn't let Ron or Harry attack you if they thought you had hurt me?"

"Yes," he said warily.

"Well, there's another reason. I won't let them attack you because you truly have changed, Draco."

 **So the Yule Ball was a success! What did you think? Please let me know!**

 **Next chapter, we learn about the marriage law, and everyone gets assigned a spouse...**

 **See you in about a week!**


	3. chapter three

**Here's chapter three! Sorry for the delay-I do freelance work in addition to my day job, and I had a deadline to meet over the weekend. I was planning to finish yesterday, but then my stupid computer decided to update in the middle of everything. The computer took forever to restart and then I couldn't find the documents I had been working on. Needless to say, I was horribly frustrated! I was able to recover both files this morning, however, and finished up just a few minutes ago.**

 **Thank you all for the many favorites, follows, and reviews! Please let me know what you think about my story-especially this chapter. Let me know what you think of the pairings!**

 **Disclaimer: Still don't own.**

It was early January, and everyone had returned to Hogwarts after the Christmas holidays. Hermione was looking forward to settling back into her routine. She had enjoyed the break, but she missed Hogwarts. She had stayed with the Weasleys over the holiday, and as much as she loved them, she still wasn't used to the organized chaos that came with such a large family. Quite a few of their friends had come on various days throughout the break, so there was no shortage of something to do. Hermione had even convinced Draco to come for a day just after Christmas, to the surprise of all the Weasleys. The short visit had gone fine, however, with Draco being a good addition to the Weasley Quidditch teams.

She was halfway through her meal when McGonagall approached the podium. She immediately put her fork down. The Headmistress usually didn't make announcements at the beginning of the second semester. This had to be something big.

"Welcome back, students. I trust you all had a refreshing and relaxing Christmas holiday and are now ready to return to studying," McGonagall began. Ron groaned from across the table and Hermione shushed him.

"As soon as the feast is over, all seventh and eighth years, please come up to the teachers' table. I have an important announcement for you all. Please, return to your meals."

All the seventh and eighth years looked at each other, wondering what in the world was going to happen now. Hermione looked at Draco across the table, raising one eyebrow. He shrugged slightly, but she could tell his mind was whirring with possibilities, as was hers.

It seemed like the rest of the feast went on forever, but in reality, it lasted only about fifteen minutes more. All too soon, the seventh and eighth years headed towards the teachers' table, collectively anxious, as the younger students filed out of the Great Hall.

"Welcome back, everyone," McGonagall began, looking as if she didn't quite know how to approach whatever subject she would be discussing. "The Ministry has just informed me that due to the casualties of the war and a population that has been steadily declining in recent decades apart from the war, the wizarding population is at its lowest point in centuries. The low number of magical folk has therefore triggered an ancient law which will pair wizards and witches together based on compatibility as well as the ability to bear strong magical children."

There was silence in the Great Hall as the young men and women processed McGonagall's speech. "Wait, so you're saying that we will be married to each other because of an archaic law?" Hermione asked, flabbergasted.

"Yes," said McGonagall. "It is not my wish, mind you. This was triggered by a law older than the modern Ministry. It has only been applied a couple of times in its history. I am sorry, but there is no way around this law."

"Haven't we done enough?" Hermione wasn't finished. They were all of age, and most of them had fought in the wizarding war, but they deserved a break, a time to be teenagers and young adults. "We fought to preserve the wizarding world. Harry _died_ to preserve the wizarding world. So many of us lost family members or friends. Isn't that enough?"

McGonagall sighed almost inaudibly. "In my mind, it is," she said. "None of you have even reached your second decade, and yet you have already done far more than anyone could ever imagine. However, the law is absolute. Refusal to comply will result in your being stripped of all magic and _Obliviated_ of your memories of the wizarding world. This is harsh, yes," McGonagall acknowledged at the collective gasp heard throughout the Great Hall. "I believe these stipulations were put in place to ensure full compliance. According to the law, partners will be chosen based on their likes, dislikes, beliefs, values, strength of magical cores, and probability of having magical children. Each couple is required to have at least four children, and at least one child must be born within the first five years of marriage. You are not expected to start trying for children right away, but you are required to marry and consummate the marriage by graduation.

"This law will affect those from the ages of seventeen to twenty-five and will only affect those who are not engaged or already married. Your partners will be chosen from those who stand with you now—i.e., your own age group. Each wizard and witch will be evaluated by the Sorting Hat. You may express to the Sorting Hat the qualities you desire in a mate. Once all the young men have been evaluated, the young women will have their turn, at which time the Sorting Hat will call out the name of the witch's chosen partner."

Hermione couldn't believe the lengths to which this law went. Of course no one would voluntarily give up their magic and memories of the wizarding world, especially not the purebloods, who knew nothing or next to nothing about life in the Muggle world. While Hermione understood that a low magical population was dangerous, she thought that encouraging people to marry and have children was a better tactic than subjecting everyone to an ancient, obscure law.

"Four children?" Hermione heard someone-she thought it was Daphne-call out. "Some families have long been able to have only one child. How will they be expected to have more?"

"That is why the ability to have strong magical children is one of the criteria for assigning each of you a spouse," McGonagall answered. "Many purebloods have weakened their chances of having multiple children because of centuries of inbreeding. Some cases are worse than others. According to the law, pairing you with the most compatible spouse will also ensure that many healthy children are born. The number four was chosen as an optimum number of children because it is a good number to jumpstart population growth. Requiring only two children be born of each union would not work because you would essentially only be replacing yourselves and not adding any more people into the wizarding population. Of course, if something happens and you are not able to have more than one or two children or are unable to conceive at all, there is the matter of adopting magical orphans and/or Muggleborn children."

Hermione didn't like this at all. She could tell that Harry, Ginny, and Ron didn't care for it either. Draco looked more thoughtful, although she could tell that he was skeptical about some of the provisions in the law. However, they would all have to go through with it on pain of losing their magic. To Hermione, and she knew to Harry, Ginny, Draco, Ron, and the rest of her classmates as well, losing their magic would be stripping them of their identity, of their place in the world.

"If there are no more questions, we should get started. Again, I am sorry that you are all once again being called on to sacrifice for the continuation of the wizarding world. I assure all of you-" here McGonagall looked at Hermione and her friends-"that every attempt was made to circumvent this law. The Minister himself worked to find a more palatable solution. However, just because he was not successful does not mean that one of you might not be able to find a way to ensure that this law ends with you-at least, a way beyond increasing the magical population."

X.X

The sorting began in earnest. One by one, the young wizards made their way to the stool as they had over six years before. Hermione and the other young witches watched as their classmates listened to the Sorting Hat's assessment of them. Some of them seemed resigned to their fate, Others were obviously holding impassioned conversations with the Hat, trying to make the results go in the direction they wanted them to. The sessions with the Sorting Hat were much longer this time around. They were more in line with the length of a Hatstall than a normal house sorting.

Harry and Ron both spent a while under the Hat. Harry looked thoughtful but determined; Hermione knew he was thinking of no one but Ginny. Ron's face turned red. Hermione guessed that things were not going as well as he expected them to. That, or he was in such concentration over the witch he wanted that his expressive face turned red from the strain.

Draco, too, spent a while conversing silently with the Hat. His pale face betrayed nothing at first glance, but Hermione spotted the slight lines between his eyebrows that meant he was concentrating hard.

Finally, after all the wizards had been examined, it was the witches' turn. This was the moment of truth-the moment that would define the rest of their lives.

Hannah Abbott was up first; she was immediately paired with Terry Boot. Katie Bell was next. As she had missed so much of her seventh year after being poisoned by the necklace meant for Dumbledore, she had been invited to come back to finish out her last year. The Gryffindor sat down and not two minutes later, the Hat had reached its verdict:

"Ronald Weasley!"

Ron and Hermione looked at each other, stricken. Their relationship had cooled off somewhat, but they were still together, and they had expected to be paired together. Hermione was shocked, but secretly did not feel as upset as she thought she might. She had actually been thinking about breaking up with Ron. The spark had passed, and although Hermione knew that sparks were not something on which to base an entire relationship, she was increasingly becoming aware that they were, at least at this point in time, only meant to be friends. Perhaps later on they would be able to make a proper go of it-Hermione could definitely see them trying again in the future-but for now, they worked best as friends, as far as Hermione was concerned.

That didn't mean that she wasn't a little wistful at the announcement that Ron would be married to someone else. They would never know what could have been. If she didn't end up with him in the future, she wanted it to be a mutual decision, not because of an outside force.

Katie went to stand by Ron's side and Hermione turned back to watch more of her classmates be paired. All too soon, it was her turn.

She made her way to the front, her hands shaking. She hoped her future spouse was someone she could love, or at least respect. The Hat was placed on her head, and its ancient voice rumbled in her mind.

" _Ah, Hermione Granger, we meet again. Your intelligence, cleverness, and bravery have helped save us all. Thank you for what you have done, and for all that you will do._

 _Your Gryffindor traits have served you well, as have your Ravenclaw tendencies. I have not forgotten that you were nearly a Hatstall. Perhaps in another life you would have been a Ravenclaw, but you were most needed and wanted most to be in Gryffindor. I also see that you have developed and embraced a Slytherin streak. Trapping an animagus in a jar, holding her for blackmail, and taking a horrible woman to meet the centaurs, Miss Granger? You also have the loyalty of a Hufflepuff, which was much needed during the war._

 _Now, as for your future spouse. Perhaps someone to balance your penchant for taking care of others at your own expense? Altruism is good, Miss Granger, but you will not be able to help people if you are not in optimal health. Perhaps someone to challenge your sharp mind, to discuss and debate all kinds of ideas and theories? Perhaps someone who will see you as you are, and not just as one quality? Someone who will admire your Slytherin streak and need your unswerving loyalty?"_

Hermione found herself agreeing with many of the Sorting Hat's suggestions. She wanted someone to challenge her intellectually, to keep her on her toes. She wanted someone she could discuss magical theories and other books with. She wanted someone who saw her for who she was, for all that she was, and not just as the frizzy-haired bookworm she had been for so long. She was proud of her bookish ways and her Muggleborn heritage, but those things were only facets of her personality.

But more than that, she wanted someone who would love her deeply, someone who she could love deeply in return. She wanted a marriage like her parents'-one based on mutual respect and admiration and a deep love for the other.

But would she get that?

" _You can have such a marriage, yes. But you must be willing to work for it. You must be willing and able to pursue it wholeheartedly. Ah, yes, you will be very happy with your spouse. It may take time to become used to the idea that this man will be devoted to you and you to him, but it will be worth it. It will be very much worth it. Yes, then, better be…._

"Draco Malfoy!"

She was shocked. The idea that she would marry Draco had never crossed her mind as a possibility. He was nowhere near the worst person who could have been picked for her. On the contrary, they were very good friends and she cared for him deeply. But marriage to Draco had never even existed in the realm of her thoughts.

"What?!" Ron yelled. "Hermione, don't, don't marry the ferret…"

She looked at Draco. He was gazing at her intently. She felt almost stripped to the bone as he watched her. A myriad of emotions swirled in the silver depths of his eyes, but she couldn't discern them. Then the corner of his mouth quirked up in a small smile, and she returned it, still trying to wrap her mind around the idea of her future husband.

Ron was still yelling. "Ronald!" Hermione cut in finally. "I think you're more mad that I was paired with Draco than that you and I weren't paired together!"

That shut him up, although he continued to grumble to Harry.

Hermione stood, contemplating the direction her life was now set to take. She vaguely heard the rest of the pairings.

Daphne Greengrass and Theodore Nott.

Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom.

Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini.

The Patil twins and Dean and Seamus.

With each pair called, Harry and Ginny, who had been extremely tense at the beginning of the sorting, visibly relaxed more. Finally, Ginny's name was the only one left. And, just as it should be, the only Weasley daughter was paired with the Boy-Who-Lived-Twice.

Harry and Ginny had gotten their fairytale ending.

But would she?

With a quick but heartfelt congratulations to Harry and Ginny, Hermione ran out of the Great Hall. She needed some time alone to come to terms with what had happened. In a matter of minutes, the direction of her life had changed course once again.

She didn't notice that a pair of quicksilver eyes followed her form as she walked out through the double doors.

 **And so the marriage law has been introduced and everyone has been paired off! What do you think of the pairings? Were any a surprise? What would you like to see happen? Please let me know!**


	4. chapter four

**Sorry for the delay! Real life crept up on me again...I went on a little day trip yesterday with my family and when we got back, I took a nap...so I decided to delay posting until today. The next chapter is the last pre-written chapter I have, so it may be a couple of weeks before it gets posted. I am working on chapter six, though, and have so many ideas for the next few chapters!**

 **Thanks to all who reviewed/followed/favorited. I appreciate you all!**

 **Disclaimer: Still don't own.**

let it be me

chapter four

"I knew I'd find you here," a familiar voice said.

Hermione looked up from her position on the sofa that was sequestered away in her favorite nook in the library. She smiled slightly at Harry. She briefly wondered why Draco hadn't come, and then squashed that thought down along with the accompanying twinge of hurt.

"When in doubt, you can always find Hermione Granger in the library," he grinned, nodding at the book open next to her and the stack of books next to it. She had tried to start researching wizarding marriage customs, specifically marriage laws, but hadn't gotten very far before her swirling thoughts overtook her.

"Hello, Harry. Shouldn't you be celebrating? You just found out that you're going to marry the woman you've loved for years."

"Well, we—all of us, not just me and Gin—were going to go down to the kitchens to see if there was some cake left over from dinner, since after McGonagall said she wanted to talk to us no one really had much of an appetite. But we got to thinking, and we didn't want to celebrate without you there."

Harry sat down next to her, his dear face full of concern for the young woman who was like his sister. "I'm sorry that you didn't end up with Ron."

Hermione nodded. "You know, I was actually coming to realize that I needed to break up with him."

"What?" Harry asked, shocked.

"I will always care about him. He's been my friend since first year. Plus, you don't live through everything the three of us faced and conquered without creating some kind of bond. But lately…for the past month or so, things just haven't been right. I don't know if it's because of school and N.E.W.T.s or if things just fizzled out between us, but it didn't feel right to continue a relationship I didn't feel was going anywhere. But that doesn't mean that I didn't think that maybe we could possibly get back together later. Maybe not within a year, but sometime. I just thought that maybe we needed to figure out who we are before we committed fully to being together. But now…now that's not an option. I just wanted an option. Merlin! How would the Ministry officials like it if they were subjected to such a law?!"

"They aren't, of course," said Harry. "Most of them are already married, and the majority of them are probably too old to be having children, even with how long wizards live.

"But I understand, Hermione. People need time to heal and to start to live again. I think all of us thought we'd have a few years before thinking about marriage. We're barely legal in the Muggle world! I want to marry Ginny, I do, and I love that I am going to, but you're right, we could have used more time."

Hermione sighed. "I'm being a little selfish, aren't I, Harry?" she asked, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm complaining about how this Merlin-forsaken law is going to affect my life, when it affects so many others, too. I'm not the only one whose life has been and will be upended. I'm going to have to remember that."

"Hermione," said Harry. "Yeah, all of us will be getting married way before any of us are really ready, but I think for you and Ron it's a little different. Most of the rest of us were paired with people we were already dating or at least had some kind of attachment. The both of you were paired with people you never would have expected."

"I know," Hermione said. "That's what makes this even odder. I mean, I suppose it could have been worse—I could have been paired with Goyle." Hermione laughed at the revolted look on Harry's face. "It's not that it's Draco—although that is a little awkward—it's more that I'm expected to become a wife at the age of nineteen and I don't know what I'm doing."

"None of us do, really," said Harry. "But we'll get through it. We defeated Voldemort, we can face marriage in stride. At least we're not having to go through this alone.

"And as much as it disturbs me to say this, I don't think that Malfoy would ever hurt you. Not again, anyway. He cares about you. We all see it, even Ron. And we know you care about him too. It'll be fine, Hermione. You know you can talk to me and Ginny if you need to. I may not be great at relationship advice as far as coming from a girl's perspective goes, but I'll always be here to listen."

Hermione smiled at her dearest friend, her brother in all but blood. "Thank you, Harry," she said, hugging him so he wouldn't see the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Anytime, Hermione," he said.

"I need to go talk to Draco. I can't run away from this. We need to tackle this together. Do you know where he is?"

"He said he was going back to your common room. Good luck, Hermione. See you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Harry. And thank you again."

Her bespectacled friend nodded and waved as they left to find their respective spouses-to-be.

X.X

Hermione entered the Heads' dorm to find Draco sitting on the couch reading. He looked up at her entrance and the corner of his mouth turned up in a slight smile. She returned the gesture and started twisting her fingers as she spoke.

"I'm sorry I ran out of the Great Hall like that," she said softly.

Draco looked up again. "You needed time to think, didn't you? You needed time to process everything through that formidable brain of yours."

"Yes," Hermione breathed, glad he understood. "I just want you to know that I'm not frustrated because it's you. I'm frustrated with the law in general."

Hermione thought she saw a bit of relief pass through Draco's eyes at her words. While he had lost most of the qualities that had made him a bully—a remaining bit of arrogance and dislike for those he deemed incompetent notwithstanding—he still maintained his cool, composed demeanor. Except for his eyes—for those who knew him best, some of what he was feeling could always be detected in his eyes.

"Honestly," she continued. "Is it too much to ask that we have a normal year?"

"We went through this at the beginning of the year," he answered. "We will never have a normal year. Even if Potter and Weasel hadn't come back, we still wouldn't have had a normal year."

"Well, I for one would have liked to have regained at least some sense of normalcy before I started thinking about getting married!" Hermione said. "Like I told Harry, we're barely legal! We should be thinking about future careers, not planning weddings!

"For some people, early marriages can work," she continued quietly. "I just thought I would have more time. We all did."

Hermione continued to vent for a couple of minutes before looking at Draco, who had remained quiet throughout her tirade.

"Wait," she said. "You're not fazed at all at the prospect of an arranged marriage, are you? You were…" She peered at him a little more. "You were raised to expect one, weren't you?" she asked in wonder.

"Yes, I was," he answered succinctly. "It's common in many Pureblood circles. But what many people don't know, Granger, is that there are three types of arranged marriages."

At the mention of this, her face perked up. She had never known that there could be more than one type of arranged marriage.

Draco chuckled at her enthusiasm. In her defense, however, learning whatever she could about marriage customs of the Wizarding world might help her to figure out what to do about the marriage law.

"Always excited at the prospect of new knowledge, aren't you, you little swot?" A few years before, he would have called her such a name in disdain, even disgust, but now the term was gently teasing, even affectionate.

"I'll tell you about the different types of arranged marriages, Granger. There won't be a test at the end, however, unless that's what gets you going."

She blushed at his words and saw the tips of his ears turn pink as well.

"Anyway, Granger," Draco said, clearing his throat, "there are three types of arranged marriages. The first type is probably what most people think of when they hear the term arranged marriage. A man and a woman are chosen to marry by their families. They don't meet in person until a few days before the wedding, or even until the day of the wedding. They might be allowed to exchange letters. They may have known each other as children, although that isn't necessary. This type isn't practiced so much anymore—not for a hundred years or so."

Hermione nodded. "The European royal families practiced the same type of arranged marriage," she said. "It wasn't about love, but about consolidation or gain of power, land, or both."

He nodded thoughtfully. "It was much the same in the Wizarding world. The second type," he continued, "is much more common. The parents keep an eye on who their children are friends with, who they seem to like the company of best. If things seem to be going well, often a girl and a boy are betrothed about the time they head to Hogwarts or soon after. This kind can be broken, but only with the consent of both parties and their parents.

"I was betrothed to someone by this second type."

Hermione's eyes grew wide. "Who?"

"Pansy," Draco said simply.

That made a lot of sense. It certainly would explain why she had clung to him during their earliest years at Hogwarts. "I'm guessing you're not still betrothed?"

"No, thank Salazar," Draco answered. "Pansy is a good friend. I think she is to me what Potter or even Weasley are to you. I did like her, for a time, but she became too…clingy. She expected too much. She wanted more than I could give. But then she somehow decided that we weren't meant to be. She started liking Blaise, and I was glad enough to give her the okay to start pursuing him. We talked to our parents and the betrothal was broken. Pansy is an only child and her father has never been able to deny her anything. I could not have been happy in the long term with Pansy as my wife, and she wouldn't have been happy with me as her husband. We'll always be friends, but nothing more."

Hermione nodded. She understood that some friendships weren't meant to stay romantic. It was a hard pill to swallow, but she knew that Draco's situation with Pansy held some similarities with her relationship with Ron.

"The third type," Draco went on, "is probably the most common. My parents were wed under this third type. The parents make sure, as in the second type, that their children are surrounded by suitable possible spouses," he said. She understood the implications—Pureblood children played with other Pureblood children, but according to economic status and sometimes class, which was why the Weasley children weren't included.

"When the children hit their teenage years, the parents suggest a few witches or wizards that their child is encouraged to become better acquainted with, if they aren't already friends. Yes, Slytherins have friends," he said wryly. "We just don't flaunt it like you Gryffindors do.

"The child is expected to pick a future spouse from that small pool of acceptable witches or wizards."

Hermione nodded absently, all the information swirling in her mind. "That is fascinating," she told Draco. "I never realized that there were so many intricacies to arranged marriages. And it really is how many marriages are made in the Wizarding World?"

"Not as many families now adhere to it. Just the older ones—mainly those in the Sacred Twenty-Eight. But even those families mainly go the route of putting acceptable candidates in front of their children and letting the children choose."

"So why did your parents go with the second type?"

"I think it was because it was so soon after the first Wizarding War, and there weren't as many Pureblood girls around our age to choose from. Plus, as I said, Pansy's dad has always indulged her, and she decided fairly early on that she wanted to marry me. I think that money, status, and business were also involved—Pansy's father would have agreed to back Malfoy Industries in exchange for my parents agreeing to our betrothal."

"And so…after Pansy and you broke it off…did your parents not try to betroth you to someone else?" She really wanted to ask, _Are you promised to anyone now?_ However, she was a little unnerved by the slight clenching in her gut that came with the idea that Draco was already promised to someone.

"I think my mother hoped that I would form an attachment to Daphne's younger sister, Astoria. But I never did, as she is two years younger than us and is shallow and not very bright. Besides, by that time—the end of fifth year—my father was in Azkaban, the Dark…You-Know-Who was rising, and suddenly I was more concerned with staying alive and keeping my parents alive than pursuing a girl." He drew into himself at the allusion to sixth year, and Hermione put her hand on his arm, squeezing slightly. He looked at her, and the corner of his mouth drew up as he attempted to smile in thanks.

"So…you are okay with this marriage law?" _You're okay with marrying me?_ She knew he had eradicated all his former blood prejudices and had befriended her, but that didn't mean that he wanted to marry her, even though she knew he cared for her a great deal.

"It was a surprise. But you…you are the best of all possible choices."

Hermione blushed as he intently looked at her again. "That's very Panglossian," she said, not knowing what else to say.

"What?"

"Pangloss. A character in the novel _Candide_. It was written in the mid-1700s by Voltaire, a Frenchman. Pangloss is kind of Candide's mentor. He thinks that the world we live in is the 'best of all possible worlds' because God would only make the best world possible."

"I see," he said. "So this Pangloss was an optimist, then?"

"Yes," she said. "Unfailingly so. Even with all the tumult around them and all the different challenges that they face during the story, he never loses faith that the world they are in is the best one possible."

"So he was a Gryffindor," he said, smirking.

"No, you dolt, he was a Muggle," she huffed. "And may I remind you that you are going to marry a Gryffindor?"

"Yes, I am. But one with a Slytherin streak and Ravenclaw tendencies."

"You know, it's probably a good thing that most wizards and witches are ignorant of Muggle literature," Hermione commented. "Who knows what would have happened if Voldemort would have read _The Prince_."

"You mean the work by Machiavelli?" Draco asked.

Hermione quickly looked at him. "You know Machiavelli?"

"I do," he said. "Would it surprise you to learn that _The Prince_ is my father's favorite book?"

"If it wasn't a Muggle book, no, I wouldn't have been surprised," said Hermione. "How is it that you had never heard of Voltaire but know and have probably read Machiavelli?"

"Machiavelli has been required reading for Malfoys for centuries," said Draco. "As to why we revere a Muggle book, it's because the Statute of Secrecy wasn't passed until the late 1600s, well after Machiavelli wrote his works and about 150 years, I'm guessing, before Voltaire wrote his book."

"So wizards and witches continue to read Muggle books that were written before the Statute of Secrecy?"

"Those who can read, yes. Or those who choose to. Not everyone is like us, Granger. Not everyone prefers to spend their days with their nose stuck in a book, little lioness."

She felt her face flush slightly at the new term of endearment. "I can understand some wizarding folk enjoying the older Muggle works, but the Malfoys? Really?"

"Would it surprise you to learn that one of my ancestors was a courtier of the Muggle queen Elizabeth I?"

"Really?"

"Yes. He actually proposed marriage to her."

"He did? A courtier proposing marriage to the ruling Queen of England famous for remaining unmarried?"

"He was a Slytherin, Granger. Ambitious to a fault. Anyway, the family legend says that when she refused him, he cursed her to remain unmarried."

"I thought she remained unmarried for various reasons. She enjoyed the power she was able to wield as an unmarried queen regnant. She had observed her father's string of marriages where he had all the power and could dissolve the marriage if his wife displeased him. She also saw her sister's disastrous marriage to a king of Spain who treated her cruelly. Plus, she wasn't able to marry the love of her life, who was a courtier, like your ancestor, because his first wife had died mysteriously, causing a scandal! Honestly, it was like a soap opera."

He raised his eyebrow at her. "You know a lot about these Muggle queens, don't you? And what's a soap opera?"

"I have always loved history," Hermione answered almost defensively. "My mother liked following the royal family and would read about them or watch television programs about them and some of their ancestors. And the idea of being a queen regnant always fascinated me and appealed to me.

"A soap opera is a dramatic story on television—I've told you about those, remember?—or on the radio following the lives of many different people and their exploits—marriages, children, affairs, and such. It's as if someone turned _Witch Weekly_ into a show and embellished details."

He nodded. "Maybe my ancestor did curse her. Maybe he didn't. Kind of foolish to curse a Muggle queen, but my ancestors had been in the employ of the English kings at various times over the years. Malfoys always follow power. Even when it leads to their downfall," he said, his voice turning quiet and contemplative at the end.

"Back to that character, Pangloss? Was that his name? I don't know if this is the best of all possible worlds, but the Dark…You-Know-Who is gone, which certainly makes this a better world.

"And I meant what I said before," he said quietly. "You are the best of all possible choices. Of all the witches I could have been paired with, I'm glad it's you."

"I'm glad it's you, too," she answered.

He looked at her, eyes widened a fraction. There was a gleam in his gray eyes that she couldn't quite decipher.

"Harry would have been too awkward, Ron and I wouldn't have worked—yes, I know that now. I want to make this work. I do. It's going to take time, though. I…always expected to marry someone I loved, someone who loved me in return. My parents taught me not to take marriage lightly, that you need to make sure that this is the person you want to spend the rest of your life with.

"We're going to have to discuss things," she said. "I have gotten to know you well over the last few months, but we need to talk about things like where we're going to live, what you think about me working, even after having children…"

"I actually thought of a place that might be suitable for us. I'd never make you live in the Manor—you don't even have to visit if you don't want to, although I will go to see my parents, of course. Especially my mother. As for working, why would I not want you to work? You're Hermione Granger, for Salazar's sake. You're not meant to be stuck at home, raising children and taking care of the house. You're meant to be blazing trails at the Ministry, giving all of those bureaucrats a run for their Galleons, fighting for house elves and werewolves or whichever cause celebre you've chosen to adapt at the moment. You're meant to be handing out badges and campaigning for those who don't have a voice and generally showing up all those old people who should have retired a long time ago.

"Wait," he said as she stared at him, amazed at how accurately he had portrayed what she wanted to do at the Ministry. "Did…did Weasley say he wanted you to stay at home and raise his ginger children and cook him monstrous meals?" He looked shocked and a little angry at the thought.

"No, he never said it outright. But it was heavily implied. I knew that he wanted a wife like…well, like his mother. Someone to run the household. And there's nothing wrong with doing that. Molly is an efficient witch and I am grateful to her for opening her home to me so many times. But it's not for me. I know it would have caused a lot of fights. I would never abandon my children," she said passionately. "I want to be there for them, always, whenever I have them. I do want to stay with them for the first few months, at least. I think it's important for both parents to bond with their new baby. But I always planned on working from home, if I was allowed to do so by whichever Ministry department I was working for."

"I would never want you to think that you had to limit your opportunities just because we had children," he answered. "I don't know if I'll be a good father. But I want to be. I could…I could stay home with them, some, if it came to it. I know I'll probably have to work for a while, even after my five-year probation is up, since the Malfoy coffers have been somewhat depleted by the war reparations," he said. "And I don't want to take over the family business just yet. Turning that around is going to take time. And I have to get my father on board with some of the changes I want to make."

"You will be a good father," she said. "I can tell, you want your children to have a different childhood from the one you had—at least when it comes to the prejudice and isolation. But we'll cross that bridge when we get there."

"We also need to talk about _when_ we want to have children. But that will be for another time, I think. It's getting late."

"Yes. We only have a four-year window to get started, and I don't want to get pregnant right away. After a year or two, I think. I need to get used to being a wife and get settled in a career before we think about having kids, and I'm sure you need to get used to being a husband and settle into a career as well. Goodnight, Draco."

"Goodnight, lioness. I'll see you in the morning."

 **So what did you think? What did you think about the three types of arranged marriages? Do you think that there was another reason that Draco was glad when Pansy broke off their betrothal? What would you like to see them discuss first?**

 **Please leave a review! Reviews keep me going and motivate me :)**


	5. chapter five

**Sorry for the delay! I was busy getting ready for a weekend trip last weekend or I would have posted. My sister and I were only gone for 48 hours, but we had a lot of fun. We tried to do as much as we could but still didn't get to do everything we wanted to.**

 **This chapter, we find out more about the marriage law and where it actually comes from. The couples also start wedding planning.**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I still don't own.**

let it be me

chapter five

Hermione was sitting at her favorite table in the library, surrounded by stacks upon stacks of books. It was two days after the announcement about the marriage law, and for the last two evenings she had been searching for any information on Circe's Law. She had found many references to Circe herself, for as a sorceress she was famous in the wizarding world. Circe even had a Chocolate Frog card of her own, leading to Hermione asking Harry for a glance at his collection to see if the little card had any information that she had not already been able to find. That was a bust, however, and so she was in the library for a second night of researching the witch whose exploits were legendary in both the Muggle and Wizarding worlds—except, apparently, for any reference to the marriage law she had supposedly created.

She could feel her hair frizzing out spectacularly, as it did in times of great stress. She was trying to find Circe's name in the index of yet another book when she heard the voice of her husband-to-be.

"Look, Blaise, it's _Grangerus Grangerus_ in her natural habitat. Note the book towers she hoards and uses as shelter along with the distinctively fuzzy brown hair."

"Careful, mate. Doesn't the _Grangerus Grangerus_ fight back when provoked?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and peeked over the towers of tomes surrounding her. She could barely make out the tops of two heads—one platinum blond and the other dark.

"Yes, the _Grangerus Grangerus_ hexes or pops in the nose those she finds obnoxious. Especially twitchy little ferrets who have already been on the business end of her wand at least once."

She heard Blaise chuckle as the two young wizards drew nearer. Hermione noticed the exaggerated pout on Draco's face and laughed.

"You've definitely met your match, Draco," said Blaise.

"Any luck, Granger?" asked Draco.

"Not yet," said Hermione, indulging his obvious need to change the subject. "I've gone through dozens of books but haven't yet found anything on the marriage law except for a passing mention."

"You'll find it," Draco told her. "If you can't, no one can.

"Blaise was just saying how we all need to sit down and discuss the marriage law," he continued.

"It wasn't me," Blaise answered. "Pansy's the one who brought it up, and I agreed. She suggested that we all—even Potter and Weasel and their prospective spouses—meet at Hogsmeade this weekend to start discussing wedding and marriage plans or something like that. Are you in?"

"Yes, I actually agree. We do need to discuss the marriage law and all it entails for all of us. And hopefully by this weekend I'll have found all the information there is pertaining to this law. Does Saturday work? The first Quidditch game of the term isn't for a few more weeks, right, Draco?"

"Right. Yes, Saturday works for me. Blaise?"

"Same for both Pansy and I. I'll ask Theo and Daph too, but I bet they'll vote for Saturday too."

"Sounds good. We can talk later about firming up the day, time, and location," said Hermione, who had turned back to the book.

As Blaise left, Draco sat next to Hermione. "Which books have you not looked at yet?" he asked.

She pointed to the stack of books on their left as she found the page number pertaining to Circe. She hurriedly flipped to the page, quickly skimming the first few lines of the entry.

She gasped. "Draco, Draco! Look! I found it! _Eureka_!" she whisper-screamed.

Draco's mouth twitched into a half-smile. "I told you that you would find it," he needled her.

She ignored him in favor of reading the most important lines out loud.

" _Circe is best known (in both the Wizarding and Muggle worlds) for being the sorceress whom Odysseus defeated. Odysseus and his crew came across Circe's island while traveling home from Troy. Circe, a very charming sorceress and goddess of magic, held Odysseus and his crew captive. She also turned his men into pigs—she was famous for turning those who had offended her into wild beasts. Odysseus was told how to defeat Circe by the god Hermes, who showed Odysseus where to find an herb called moly that would render Circe's powers useless. After sneaking Circe the herb and freeing his men, Odysseus and his crew stayed on the island for a year, feasting with the sorceress. After Odysseus and his crew departed, Circe departed for Italy. The Muggle annalists stop here, for Circe went completely into the magical world. As a goddess, she was immortal; as the years passed she became fascinated with those mortals who had been granted magical abilities by the gods. There had been a few in the time of Odysseus; as the centuries passed, the magical people began to find each other and married and had magical children. As a sorceress and the daughter of the goddess of witchcraft, Hecate, Circe had grown quite fond of these magical mortals. However, the eruption of Vesuvius destroyed an entire magical community. This, along with various plague epidemics from the fifth century BC to the second century AD, caused Circe to join with her mother and Aphrodite, the goddess of love, to create a spell—eventually turned into a law-that would come into effect whenever the magical population dropped below a certain point. The spell and, later, law would pair surviving witches and wizards together based on compatibility and the ability to have strong magical children. Each couple was to bear at least four children to ensure population growth. The effects only lasted until there were enough magical children to have increased the population enough to ensure the survival of the wizarding world. Sometimes this took as long as a generation—up to twenty years—but more often was resolved between five and ten years. As of this writing, the law has only come into effect a few different times, most notably after outbreaks of plague in the sixth century AD, the Black Death in the fourteenth century AD, the cholera pandemics of the nineteenth century, and the influenza pandemic just after the first Muggle world war."_

"Merlin," said Draco. "That must have been an exceptionally strong spell to have created such lasting effects."

"Well, with the goddess of witchcraft and her sorceress daughter behind the original spell, no wonder that it was so powerful and long-lasting. It does say that the spell was later transformed into a law, but nothing about who created that law. I suppose it would probably have to be after the fall of the Roman Empire and the demise in the belief of Roman and Greek gods."

"You found the answer," Draco said after some thought. "But did that help?"

"It helps us know what we're up against," sighed Hermione as she stacked the books up and began carrying them back over to the shelves. "But I don't think there's anything we can do, really. Even if the people with the strongest magic banded together, I don't think their power would be able to touch something like this." She looked a little defeated.

"Would it be so bad, being married to me?" asked Draco quietly.

"A year ago, I would have said yes," Hermione answered. "But now…I say no. It's just the principle of the thing. I understand wanting to boost the magical population so that we don't die out, but surely there was a better way to do so."

Draco simply nodded and helped Hermione put the books back on the library shelves.

X.X

Hermione, Draco, Harry, Ginny, Blaise, Pansy, Ron, Katie, Luna, Neville, Theo, and Daphne all met at the Leaky Cauldron for lunch on Saturday. Once they had all finished their food—except for Ron—Hermione reached in her bag with the undetectable extension charm and pulled out an item. Touching her wand to it, she silently made it return to its original size.

"What is that?" asked quite a few of the group.

"It's a Muggle desk calendar," Hermione answered. "My parents' receptionist always used one, even after they started transitioning to using computers. It's an excellent way to keep track of many things that occur over the course of the year."

"I thought we were here to discuss the weddings," said Ron, who was finishing the last bite of chocolate cake.

"We are, Ronald," Hermione said. "We can't really talk about much until we decide on actual dates."

"We have until the end of the school year, I know," said Ginny. "But when is the earliest day we can get married?"

"May first, I think," said Daphne.

"Yes," said Hermione, setting her wand to the calendar again. Multiple sheets appeared and tore off, setting themselves in front of each person at the table. She repeated the process, giving everyone a calendar page for the months of May and June. She had added in the dates for N.E.W.T.s as well as the graduation ceremony. "Does anyone already know the date they'd like for their wedding?"

Luna looked at Neville, her usually dreamy demeanor even more serene as she smiled at her intended. "We'd like May first," she said.

"A May Day wedding," mused Hermione. "Sounds perfect for you, Luna."

"Oh yes, Hermione. There won't be as many Blibbering Humdingers and Wrackspurts on that day as there will be in June," Luna said. "They don't like the weather in early May. And May Day is perfect for flowers."

"Very well, Luna," said Hermione, who could only agree with Luna's comment that May Day was a perfect day for flowers. She couldn't deny that Luna would look marvelous with a wreath of flowers on her blonde head as she married Neville. Hermione touched the tip of her wand to the May first square on the calendar; the words _Neville & Luna _appeared in swirling script.

"Anyone else?"

The other couples began discussing among themselves. Draco leaned over to Hermione. "You don't want to be married too close to N.E.W.T.s, right?"

Hermione shook her head violently. "Of course not," she affirmed. "Actually, I don't think the entire month of June would be ideal at all, at least for me. I'll need to review as much as I can, and then right after N.E.W.T.s is graduation. There's just too much going on during June to try and fit our wedding in there too. If that's all right with you," she added.

"I didn't think you would want to, and I agree. Even though you could take your N.E.W.T.s tomorrow and make the highest scores Hogwarts has ever seen, I knew you'd want to get as much last-minute studying in as possible. Little swot," he said. "You just better not bring any textbooks on the honeymoon," Draco smirked, raising his eyebrows.

Hermione blushed. "Honeymoon?"

"Of course. Have to start the marriage off right. And Malfoys always do things in style. We can talk about it more later," said Draco.

He returned to looking at the calendar. "What about the nineteenth of May?" he asked.

Hermione looked at the calendar. While it was a month before N.E.W.T.s, it was apparently during the middle of the week. "Draco, that's on a Wednesday."

"Is that your only objection?"

"It certainly would give me enough time in between the wedding and N.E.W.T.s, but are you sure that Headmistress McGonagall would let us be married during the middle of the week and then immediately take off for the honeymoon, wherever it might be?"

"Granger, you're the Gryffindor Princess. You helped Potter defeat the darkest wizard to walk the earth. I think you could ask to take half of the Hogwarts library with you and they would grant your request."

"Do you really think they would?" Hermione didn't want _half_ the library—she knew students needed those books, and she was not one to take knowledge away from anyone—but there were a few volumes that were especially rare and valuable, at least to her, that she'd love to have in her possession.

"Most likely. But you won't need them—the Malfoys' library has more than enough rare and priceless tomes to even hold _your_ interest, O Bookish One.

"So yes, I think that taking a four-day weekend for the honeymoon—provided that's all right with you—would be approved. We don't have classes on Wednesday afternoons anyway."

"We could be married at sunset, on the grounds here, perhaps. And then Apparate to wherever we'll spend the weekend."

"So you approve?"

"…Yes. I think having four days to get to know each other as husband and wife would be optimal. Just the weekend doesn't seem long enough. And it will be nice to clear my head, at least for a little bit. I haven't had a nice relaxing break in years. Yes, I do admit that I need breaks sometimes. I couldn't live a life of indolence—I need to be active and busy, but there is nothing wrong with taking a couple of days now and then. Especially when it's celebrating something as important as a marriage."

"So Wednesday, May nineteenth it is, then."

Hermione nodded, tapping her wand to their selected date and watching as the swirling script reading _Hermione & Draco _appeared.

She turned and smiled at her fiancé, and he, after quickly looking to see if anyone was watching, surreptitiously brought her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss to it.

Hermione blushed slightly as she turned to face everyone else. "Anyone else have a date in mind? Our wedding is set for May nineteenth."

"Mum wrote to me an' Ginny," said Ron. "She said that Bill had Floo called her after hearing about this marriage law and he told her that he and Fleur are going to France to visit her family the first couple of weeks of June, and that if Ginny or me or George wanted to use the cottage as a honeymoon spot, they would let us stay there."

"Who did George get paired with?" asked Hermione.

"He was paired with Angelina," said Ginny. Hermione nodded; the pairing made sense.

"Katie and I want to use the cottage for the honeymoon, so we'll want a date in the first week of June," said Ron. Then, remembering his sister had a stake in things as well, he added belatedly, "Well, if Gin doesn't want it, that is."

Katie spoke for the first time. "I want Cho to be in the wedding, and she's starting the Healer program at St. Mungo's the first of July with orientation the week before. So the first part of June would work perfectly, that is if Ginny and Harry agree."

Ginny and Harry exchanged a look before Ginny spoke. "That's fine, you can make use of the cottage. Charlie won't be able to come back to England until the middle of June—mating season for dragons," she explained. "We really would like to have him there…and while Bill's offer was very nice of him, I don't think the cottage would work for us."

"You don't want to have Charlie at your wedding?" Hermione asked Ron, surprised that her old friend didn't seem to care that one of his brothers would miss his wedding.

"'Course I want him there, but it doesn't really matter since the whole family's not going to be there anyway," Ron answered bitterly.

Hermione's heart went out to Ron. She knew he was referring to Fred. She felt her hand loosen from Draco's grip and start to move towards her friend, but she stopped herself, settling her hand back in her fiancé's. It wasn't her job to comfort Ron anymore; at least, she wasn't supposed to be the first to offer comfort. That was Katie's job now. She felt Draco's gaze on her but didn't turn to look at him. Instead, she turned to look at the June calendar in front of her.

"It looks like June third is a Thursday, June fourth is a Friday, and June fifth is a Saturday," said Hermione. "Do any of those dates look good to you?"

"June fourth is fine," said Katie. Hermione tapped her wand on the designated date.

"Good," grumbled Draco next to Hermione so only she could hear. "June fifth is my birthday and I don't want to share it with Weasley and the newest Mrs. Weasley."

"Draco!" hissed Hermione. "That's not very nice. I thought you were getting along better with Ron?"

"Depends," said Draco. "He's tolerable most of the time, but if he was getting married on my birthday, then he'd be extra intolerable. You'd be paying more attention to him and his new bride than you would be to me," Draco said, pouting a little.

"Oh Draco, I wouldn't totally abandon you on your birthday," Hermione said.

"For him, you might," he grumbled, and Hermione could tell that there was more to his irritation than just the thought that Ron would steal all the attention on a day he thought was meant to celebrate him.

"I'm marrying you, not Ron, aren't I? You don't have to worry, I'll pay you all kinds of attention on your birthday."

"I'll hold you to that," said Draco, looking at her intently.

"All right, you lovebirds," said Blaise. "Pansy and I have decided that we want June eleventh. Pansy wants as much time as possible to get her wedding ensemble in order."

"Sounds reasonable," said Hermione, tapping that date as well. "Theo and Daphne and Harry and Ginny, have you decided?"

"May twenty-eighth is fine with us," said Daphne.

"We want June seventeenth," said Ginny. "That's the last week before N.E.W.T.s and right after Charlie gets back."

Hermione tapped those dates as well. "Now that the wedding dates are set, what's next?" Hermione grabbed her small bag again, this time pulling out a long roll of parchment and a quill. "Let's see," she mumbled, looking at her list.

"You wrote down talking points for the meeting?" Ron asked. "Blimey, Hermione, you are too bloody organized."

"It's better than being so disorganized that nothing goes right," snipped Hermione. "The more we plan, the less of a chance that we run into unforeseen problems."

"Hermione, have you forgotten the last six years? They were filled with 'unforeseen problems,'" said Ginny.

"No, I haven't. I'm just going to do everything I can to make sure that these weddings are problem-free."

"I'm going to wake up one morning and find my sock drawer re-organized, aren't I?" asked Draco.

Pansy snorted. "You won't have any problem there, Granger. The man hardly owns any item of clothing unless it's black."

"Black is sophisticated and powerful," said Draco. "It's _refined_."

Hermione snorted. "It also shows cat hair easily." Crookshanks had returned to the Burrow during the Christmas holidays and Hermione, overjoyed to be reunited with her beloved pet, had brought him back to the Heads' dorm, where he had immediately taken a liking to Draco's warm black cloak.

Draco scowled as the rest of the group laughed. "Back to business," said Hermione. "Do wizarding weddings require witnesses?"

"Yes," said Blaise. "Usually the best wizard and witch of honor are the witnesses, but anyone will do."

"That brings up another point," said Hermione. "Are we going to have attendants? And how many should we have?"

"I don't think we should have too many attendants," said Ginny. "That's too many sets of robes or dresses to find and buy."

"Would a maximum of three attendants work for everyone? Up to three for the bride and three for the groom," Daphne said.

Everyone was in agreement, and so Hermione started making a list of each wedding and the attendants. "Neville, Luna, since your wedding is first, who do you want to stand up with you as you wed?"

"You, Hermione, and Ginny. I'm sorry I don't know the rest of you well enough to ask you to be my attendants," Luna said. "But the Wrackspurts are more likely to come around if there are three attendants than just two."

"Very well," said Hermione, scribbling down her name and Ginny's. "Neville?"

"Harry and Ron, of course," he said simply. Hermione added the names.

"Next is us," she told Draco, prompting him to answer. "Blaise and Theo," he said automatically. He then turned to look at her, regarding her silently, intently for a minute. "And Potter," he concluded, still looking at her.

"What?" said Hermione, shocked.

"Me?!" wondered Harry.

"It's not for you, Potter. Even though I don't wish you harm, and we get along better than we used to, you're still not my best mate. But Hermione sees you as a brother, and we all know she'd want you to be involved in the wedding somehow."

"I accept," said Harry. "Thank you, Malfoy."

Draco nodded curtly, and then turned to look at Hermione, who was staring at him as if he'd suddenly announced himself to be a long-lost Weasley. "Thank you, Draco," she said quietly, squeezing his hand and smiling.

She added the three names to the list and then added two of her own quickly, then added a third after a bit of deliberation. "Ginny and Luna," she said, and her two closest female friends nodded and smiled. "And Pansy."

Now it was Draco and Pansy's turn to look shocked. "Yes, Pansy," Hermione confirmed. "You are to Draco what Harry is to me—the sibling we never had. He won't say it out loud, but I know it would mean a lot if his oldest friend would be in his wedding."

Pansy nodded. "Hufflepuffs don't have a monopoly on loyalty, contrary to popular opinion. Slytherins are loyal to their own. As, apparently, are Gryffindors. I respect that. I accept. Just don't hurt Draco or you'll have a whole snake den to deal with," she warned.

"I don't plan on hurting Draco," Hermione said. She turned to her fiancé, who was looking at her with wonder and something else in his eyes.

X.X

The other couples told Hermione who they wanted for their attendants. Theo chose Draco and Blaise, while Daphne chose her sister Astoria and Pansy. Hermione felt a slight sinking in her gut at the mention of Astoria. She remembered Draco saying that his mother would probably have suggested a marriage between him and one of the Greengrass sisters. It was apparent that Theo and Daphne were a true love match, and so any alliance between the Malfoys and the Greengrasses would have come from a marriage between Draco and Astoria. She didn't know what Daphne's younger sister looked like; she just knew that Astoria was a Slytherin a couple of years younger than Daphne. Still, she felt a little uneasiness at the prospect that Draco would probably have to escort Astoria, as the maid of honor, at least in the processional after the wedding. She didn't know why, but she didn't want to see her fiancé escorting the young woman who in another life could possibly have been his bride.

Ron had chosen Harry and Neville; Katie had chosen Cho, of course, and Ginny. She had whispered to Hermione across the table that she was sorry she didn't ask her to be a bridesmaid, but considering her and Ronald's recent history, it was probably best that she wasn't a member of the wedding party but instead simply attended the ceremony.

Hermione understood, of course, but it made things even more awkward. She liked what she knew of Katie; she didn't know the quiet girl very well, but she and Ron seemed well-matched. But Hermione's fiancé was the same man who had indirectly cursed Katie and had made her spend much of her seventh year in St. Mungo's. She hoped that with time circumstances wouldn't be quite so awkward, but for now, they definitely were.

Blaise chose Draco and Theo, of course. Pansy picked Daphne right off. Hermione was surprised, though, when Pansy chose her, too. Hermione looked at the Slytherin witch, who met Hermione's inquisitive glance unflinchingly. "Loyalty," Pansy said simply to Hermione's unspoken question. "You're going to be Draco's wife. That automatically brings you under the umbrella of Slytherin loyalty."

Hermione nodded. "Thank you," she said. "I know it's not for me as much as for Draco, but thank you all the same."

Pansy nodded in return. Draco leaned over and whispered in Hermione's ear. "Slytherins also keep track of whom they're indebted to, even for seemingly small things like this. Slytherins don't like to feel indebted to anyone, but when they are, they tend to repay the debt as soon as possible."

"Slytherins treat gestures of friendship as debts to be repaid?" said Hermione, taken aback.

"Usually," Draco answered. "Sometimes close friends won't consider certain actions as debts to be repaid, but most of the time there's an unspoken agreement that a person will render in kind whatever services were given. They're usually not spoken of, like I said, unless someone of another house is somehow drawn into the agreement. Even the repaid debts aren't acknowledged as such. They're just understood."

Hermione pondered this insight into Slytherin friendships. "So you do things for your friends, just like other houses do," she mused. "But you generally expect something in return?"

"Usually, yes," he answered. "But it doesn't have to be anything really big. Homework help, for instance, is usually traded. The girls usually trade outfits or jewelry or something. We do care about our close friends, Granger," Draco emphasized. "We just don't hug it out like you Gryffindors do."

Hermione rolled her eyes at his characterization of Gryffindors, but acknowledged that he was right. Gryffindors did tend to be overly demonstrative. She was just glad that the Slytherins had a close-knit group as well, even if it wasn't widely broadcasted.

"Hermione," Ginny asked, pulling Hermione away from her fiancé. "What about wedding robes or dresses? You mentioned Muggle wedding dresses earlier. Are you wanting to wear one?"

"Yes," replied Hermione. "No offense, but I always expected to wear a Muggle wedding dress on my wedding day. It's a way to connect myself to my Muggle upbringing."

"No offense taken," replied Ginny. "Honestly, some of those wizarding robes are so outdated. I hope Mum doesn't try to make me wear her wedding robes." Ginny shuddered at the thought.

Hermione couldn't blame her—after seeing Ron's disastrous and ancient set of dress robes in fourth year, she wouldn't want to take the chance of wearing something awful on her wedding day either.

"Are you wanting to wear a Muggle wedding dress, then, Ginny?"

"Yeah. I don't want to have to swelter in wizarding robes at the end of June. Cooling charms or not, it's just not my idea of a good time."

"I'd like to take a look at those Muggle wedding gowns, too," piped up Pansy. Hermione's shock must have shown on her face, because Pansy said, "What? Couture is couture.

"I'm to apprentice with Madam Malkin after this year," she continued, "And I know the woman has been in business for _years_ , and she's a dear family friend, but Weasley is right— _so_ many of the robes are more suited for matronly types. We're young. We should look like it. And I'm not above taking some inspiration from Muggle designers if it means that it helps business. Only the top Muggle designers, though, of course."

"I'll have to find some Muggle bridal magazines, then. Maybe McGonagall will let me nip out for an hour or two to the nearest Muggle town and I can find some magazines with lots of pictures and advertisements. Daphne, Luna, Katie, how do you feel about Muggle dresses?"

"I'll have to look," said Daphne. "I don't really know what to expect."

"A Muggle dress would be lovely," said Luna. "It wouldn't have any Tiny Bissellis."

"Tiny whatsits?" asked Ron, bewildered.

"Tiny Bissellis. Little flying bugs that get into clothes and sometimes chew holes in them."

"Those are moths, Lovegood," said Pansy, rolling her eyes. 

"These are magical, though. You have to be very careful when trying to get rid of them. They can make illusions of themselves so you never know which one is the real one. Quite pesky things, really. I think my mother's wedding dress is somewhere at home; I'll see if it's usable. Hopefully the Tiny Bissellis won't have eaten it all."

"I'd like to look for a Muggle wedding dress, too," said Katie. "Nothing too expensive, though."

"Speaking of expenses…." Ginny said, and Hermione knew that cost was Ginny's main concern. While Ginny, Ron, Harry, Hermione, and the rest of the remaining members of the Order had all received money from the Ministry upon Voldemort's defeat for their actions in the war, they had not received nearly what their actions were worth. Plus, years of living frugally had taught Ginny to examine the cost of everything. "We're supposed to buy wedding dresses, or robes. Each of us is also going to be an attendant in at least two weddings. What are we supposed to do about those dresses? Everyone is going to have different theme colors, right?"

Surprisingly, Pansy had the answer. "Are we witches or aren't we?" she exclaimed loudly, standing up and slamming her fists on the table.

"I'm not," quipped Blaise.

Pansy ignored her fiancé.

"Buy the wedding dress, robes, whatever. Then buy one dress to use for a brideswitch dress. We'll charm it to match one of the theme colors. Of course, some fabrics can't be charmed over once or twice, and a couple can't be charmed at all, they're so delicate. You probably don't want those fabrics, however. They're extremely expensive and may not be suitable for a summer wedding if you're having it outdoors."

"Thanks, Pansy," said Hermione. "That sounds reasonable."

"Thanks," echoed Ginny. "It's good to know someone with such fashion expertise."

"Do you know of a foolproof way to get rid of Tiny Bissellis?" asked Luna.

"It's good experience," said Pansy. "If I'm wanting to market to the young professional witch crowd, I need to know what they want to wear and how those fabrics can be worn. Granger, let me know when you get some of those Muggle magazines. Although I don't know how you're supposed to examine a wedding dress without a wizarding picture where the model gives a view of the entire dress."

"The picture collections will usually have pictures of both the front and back," said Hermione.

"My older cousin got married a few years ago and that summer, whenever we went to my grandparents' house, everyone was caught up in a wedding frenzy."

"Sounds like when Bill and Fleur got married," said Ginny. "But I tried to stay as much out of the way of that as possible. Luckily school was still in session during much of the planning. I think my mother breathed, ate, and slept weddings during those few months."

"Is there anything special we need to know about wizarding weddings that we haven't already covered?" Hermione asked.

"We'd have to know more about Muggle weddings to figure out what all you would need to know," said Daphne. "You'll have to tell us about Muggle weddings another night, though, because I think it's getting late."

Hermione cast the _Tempus_ charm. "You're right, it's almost curfew. We didn't quite get to the end of the list, though—we still need to talk about honeymoons and if we're going anywhere special."

"You didn't think we'd be spending our honeymoon at Hogwarts, did you?" asked Draco quietly.

"I hoped not."

"I've actually got somewhere in mind; let me write my mother first and I'll tell you. I have to make sure that the site wasn't damaged in the war," explained Draco.

Harry came over to Draco just then and stuck out his hand. "Thank you for asking me to be in your and 'Mione's wedding," he said.

"Don't mention it," answered Draco. "No, really, don't mention it. We might generally get along now, Potter, but asking you was for Hermione's benefit."

"I figured so, but thanks anyway. I know it means a lot to her."

"It does," said Hermione, reminding the two young men that she was right there. "I'm so happy that you'll get to be in my wedding, Harry. I wouldn't have it any other way," she said, hugging Harry.

Harry left, leaving Hermione and Draco the last to leave the Leaky Cauldron. They had made it a couple of blocks before Hermione suddenly tugged Draco into an alley, throwing her arms around him.

"What? What is it? Is someone following us?" Draco said, reaching for his wand and looking frantically from side to side.

"No," Hermione reassured him. "I just wanted to thank you, again, for choosing Harry to be a groomswizard. It means so much to me that the wizard I consider a brother will be a part of my wedding day."

"I know it means a lot to you," said Draco. "That's why I asked. And thank you for including Pansy," he added.

Hermione nodded absently, chewing her lip. She looked to the side for a moment, and then looked back at Draco. He looked puzzled. Quickly, she rose on her toes and pressed a brief kiss to the corner of his mouth. She leaned back to judge his reaction, now biting her lip nearly hard enough to draw blood.

Draco was wide-eyed in shock, but didn't look disgusted. She saw a spark in his eyes, and his lips started to turn upwards. That gave her the courage to lean up again and kiss him full on the lips.

He didn't react immediately, and so she started to pull away, feeling a little dejected. Then she felt him start to return the kiss. His hands, which had remained at his side, came up to splay across her back, one tangling in her hair. It was a fairly chaste kiss, just a firm yet gentle meeting of mouths, but Hermione felt it all the way down to her toes.

It felt right, being in Draco's arms. More than kissing Ron or even Viktor ever had. She was a little scared by that revelation and so broke away.

Draco's eyes slowly opened and his hands slightly caressed her back as they fell away. That indescribable intensity in his eyes was back. She couldn't explain it, and didn't want to at the moment. This was all still so new. She didn't regret kissing him, though.

"If that's the reaction I get, I should be extra nice to Potter more often," Draco drawled, smirking.

She smiled, blushing, and grabbed his hand. "I might just hold you to that," she said, feeling her cheeks turn even redder. "Now come on, we don't want to be caught out after curfew."

 **Hope you enjoyed! What did you think about the origins of the marriage law? While Circe is usually regarded as the daughter of the sun god Helios and a nymph, some accounts make her the daughter of Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft. The epidemics I mention all happened-besides the Black Death, which is the most-well known epidemic, the basic information came from Wikipedia.**

 **Luna's "Tiny Bissellis" come from** ** _Tineola bisselliella_** **, which is the Latin name for the common clothes moth.**

 **Would love to know what you thought of the chapter! Please review!**


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